Finally, I made cheap tunnels!

[Kyrre]

My furry ones (Peter and Penelope) eat through most toys and tear through a fabric tunnel in a week.

So, I started looking at alternatives.
I ended up getting some concrete molds! They’re cardboard tubes with very thick walls and here they come in 1.2 meter lengths for a few bucks. They have em at my local home depot in 15. 19, 25 and 30cm diameter and I got two 15cm and one 19cm for my favourite fuzzbutts. They’re slippery inside so are hard to crawl up if put on a incline (like up into the couch or up ontop of the cage) so I also got some heavy grit roll of sandpaper for a few more bucks. Gluing down a strip of sandpaper in the pipe made for a perfect tube to run and play in. They don’t appear to nibble at them but sure love to run and climb in them.

I paid around $10 for the tubes, but everything is expensive here.
A short polyester/nylon tunnel at my local petstore is $40.

I’ll see if I can get the fuzzbutts to pose in it for a picture later.

Happy playtime!

[RabbitPam]

Yes, pix please. I seem to remember someone once using concrete molds for tunnels. It seemed like a good idea.

[Monkeybun]

I have one of those for my buns They love it!

[Kyrre]

This was not easy!

Luckally Peter (Petter in Norwegian) is very kind and allows you to handle him pretty much as you please.
After stuffing him into the tube 3 times I managed to get a picture of him emerging!

Needless to say, he is munching on his prize as I type.
A small block of alfalfa/carrot/peas snack!

Notice the sandpaper. I got some 40 grit as it gives great grip for someone with fuzzy feet.
I used non-toxic epoxy along the entire underside of the strip to bond it to the tunnel and so far no signs of it getting loose.
I also secured it to the top of the cage which has a piece of natural fiber mat ontop so rabbit-feet won’t get stuck in the bars when they take the roof-exit or entrance. The cage is one of those 3-story 120x60cm ones so about 65cm tall so the incline is quite steep. With the paper, they have no issues going up or down without spinning. It also seems to take the sharpest edge off their claws making it less necessary to clip em all the time.

I haven’t noticed any soare feet so it seems good. They’ve had this for around 4 months now.

Edit:

Almost forgot. This is a 19cm version.

[Mimzy]

Looks like fun *ahem* for them of course I’m afraid my bun would chew the sandpaper, she’s pretty big on chewing. If it’s just laying on the ground, do you think it would still need traction?

Looks really cool, I like it

[Kyrre]

Posted By Mimzy on 08/14/2012 12:36 AM
Looks like fun *ahem* for them of course I’m afraid my bun would chew the sandpaper, she’s pretty big on chewing. If it’s just laying on the ground, do you think it would still need traction?

Looks really cool, I like it

Nah, I have a tunnel just laying on the floor too and it doesn’t need any sandpaper.
They love to walk slowly into middle and then suddently start sprinting, slipping like crazy and shooting out the end like rockets.
They also like to do digging motions in there. The slippery surface is good for not giving grip so they don’t make a hole.

[SirThumpsey]

That is so genius…i must put this on my list next time we make a trip to home depot…
thank you for posting this!

[mocha200]

Good idea on making it at an angle! I have used cement tubes before but it got ruined because I left it in the rain. A guy at the WHRS makes tubes out of cement tubes and sells them at the WHRS events. He makes wooden stands so they don’t roll and carpet for traction on the inside! I always thought about making one but haven’t yet! You inspired me!

[Cristina]

Ahhh!!!! You guys are giving me so many ideas on here! hehe This is fantastic and very economic for the bun’s parents! Now all I need is a good idea for growing my buns greens in the house! hehe

[Kyrre]

I’ve been pondering making a tube-maze by cutting up and intersecting tubes.
May be a lot of fun, but if a befurred one doesn’t want to go into the cage in the evening and hides in the maze I’ll be at a loss.
Still, the possibilities are endless. Multiple levels, 4-way intersections, even vertical intersections with multiple branching.
It would be a tunnel nirvana.

[mcgarr423]

I’m totally making a tunnel maze now. You’ve inspired me.

[Sam and Lady's Human]

We’ve been using those forever my girls love them.

[Author]

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